Flint lighters with a rotary knurled wheel

ABSTRACT

In a flint lighter of the disposable type the rotary knurled wheel has a central bore by which it is mounted on a spindle or elongated boss between a pair of deformable plastic holdfasts. One end of the boss is formed integrally with one holdfast and the other end is ball shaped and inserted into an opening in the other holdfast after the knurled wheel is placed on the boss. Alternatively, the holdfasts can each be provided with a facing boss, each located in an opposite end of the bore, or the wheel may have a central boss projecting from each side and located in openings in the holdfasts.

ilnited States Patent [1 1 Malamoud [451 May 28, 1974 FLINT LIGHTERSWITH A ROTARY KNURLED WHEEL [75] Inventor: Jean Gaston Malamoud, Annecy,

France {30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 13, 1971 France71.32945 52 U.S. c1. .Q. 431/277 [51] Int. Cl. F23q 1/02 [58] Field ofSearch 431/273277, 431/130, 131, 150

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,462,143 2/1949 Sudbrink431/277 2,807,947 10/1957 Renwick....., 431/276 2,943,471 7/1960 Newman431/276 3,154,935 11/1964 Ayres 3,240,034 3/1966 Zellweger 431/277Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eric H.Waters [5 7] ABSTRACT In a flint lighter of the disposable type therotary knurled wheel has. a central bore by which it is mounted on aspindle or elongated boss between a pair of deformable plasticholdfasts. One end of the boss is formed integrally with one holdfastand the other end is ball shaped and inserted into an opening in theother holdfa'st after the knurled wheel is placed on the boss.Alternatively, the holdfasts can each be provided with a facing boss,each located in an opposite end of the bore, or the wheel may have acentral boss projecting from each side and located in openings in theholdfasts.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED m 2 8 I974 FIG.)

' F/GJ FIG. 4

FLINT LIGHTERS WITH A ROTARY KNU-RLED WHEEL This invention relates toimprovements in flint lighters with a rotary knurled wheel.

In known flint lighters with a rotary knurled wheel, the knurled wheelis generally mounted on a pin which is either free or integral with theknurled wheel or lighter.

A common drawback of these arrangements is the presence of an added pinwhich must be formed and possibly machined, then be subjected to variousoperations before being mounted on the lighter.

An object of the present invention is to simplify and remove theseoperations, while facilitating the mounting of the knurled wheel onlighters of the so-called disposable type, the flint spring and flint ofwhich are disposed in a recessed pipev before the knurled wheel ispositioned.

According to the invention a flint lighter with a rotary knurled wheelcomprises said knurled wheel being supported by at least one boss.

According to another feature of the invention,.the free end of the bossis itself secured to the body of the lighter.

According to another feature of the invention, the knurled wheel issupported by two axial bosses disposed on the body of the lighter andresiliently interconnected in a direct or indirect manner.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the ensuingdescription of several embodiments, with reference to the drawing givenby way of example in a purely indicative and non-limiting manner. In thedrawing: I

' FIG. 1 is an end view partly in section of one embodiment of lighterformed according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view on lI-II in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentaryside elevations partly in section of two further embodiments of theinvention.

; 9 and the holdfast 5 with a catch 10.

Finally the body 1 comprises at its upper part, two or engagementportions 11 and 12 each of which is provided with a groove 13 and 14.

In these conditions, the mounting is carried out as follows: when aknurled wheel 15 has been disposed on the boss 6 of the holdfast 4, thesmall ball 7 at the free end of this boss is inserted in the perforation8 of the holdfast 5 to join the boss thereto, and the head 2 is placedon the body 1 so that the catches 9 and 10 of the Taking into accountthe dimensions of a pocket lighter, this locking is sufficient to holdthe head on the body. However, it is evident that if it is desired tomake a lighter of greater dimensions, another locking on the sameprinciple must be provided.

In FIG. 3, instead of arranging the knurled wheel 15 on a singleelongated boss, two axial bosses 16 and 17 are provided, disposed inopposition on two holdfasts 18 and 19 moulded with the body 1.

In FIG. 4, it is the knurled wheel 20 which supports two bosses 21 and22 which are journalled in two housings 23 and 24 of two holdfasts 25and 26.

Naturally, modifications of construction details or their arrangementmay be made with a view to obtaining the same result without divergingfrom the spirit of the invention.

For example, the constructions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 could be combinedby using a knurled wheel with a boss on one side and a housing on theother side, the boss, in the housing, taking the place of the head ofthe lighter, and the housing provided in the knurled wheel receiving aboss moulded with the head of the lighter.

One advantage of the arrangement is that the asymmetry of'the knurledwheel makes it possible to position it with an automatic sorter evenwhen its ribs are orientated.

What is claimed is:

1. A flint lighter comprising:

a body,

a moulded head independent of the body,

a knurled wheel,

'said head including opposed flanges and being sufflciently elastic toenable the flanges to be separated to allow the wheel to be insertedbetween said boss means coupling said'wheel and said flanges to enablethe wheel to rotate,

said head, boss means and wheel forming a subassembly,

engagement portions on said body,

and groove and catch means for connecting said subassembly with saidengagement portions by a snapengagement and providing sufficientnecessary rigidity for operation of the wheel.

2. A lighter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head flanges supportsaid boss means.

3. A lighter as claimed in claim 2 wherein the boss means is integralwith one flange and engageable in the other.

4. A lighter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said groove and catch meanscomprises catch members on said flanges so positioned to lockably engagesaid engagement portions to hold the sub-assembly on the body insubstantially rigid engagement.

5. A lighter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said engagement portions:have grooves and said catch members are positioned to resilientlysnap-engage into said grooves whensaid flanges are inserted between theengagement portions.

6. A lighter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head includes a loopportion integral with said flanges.

7. A lighter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said boss means comprises aboss on each flange rotatably re ceived in a bore provided in saidwheel.

1. A flint lighter comprising: a body, a moulded head independent of thebody, a knurled wheel, said head including opposed flanges and beingsufficiently elastic to enable the flanges to be separated to allow thewheel to be inserted between said flanges, boss means coupling saidwheel and said flanges to enable the wheel to rotate, said head, bossmeans and wheel forming a sub-assembly, engagement portions on saidbody, and groove and catch means for connecting said sub-assembly withsaid engagement portions by a snap-engagement and providing sufficientnecessary rigidity for operation of the wheel.
 2. A lighter as claimedin claim 1 wherein said head flanges support said boss means.
 3. Alighter as claimed in claim 2 wherein the boss means is integral withone flange and engageable in the other.
 4. A lighter as claimed in claim1 wherein said groove and catch means comprises catch members on saidflanges so positioned to lockably engage said engagement portions tohold the sub-assembly on the body in substantially rigid engagement. 5.A lighter as claimed in claim 4 wherein said engagement portions havegrooves and said catch members are positioned to resiliently snap-engageinto said grooves when said flanges are inserted between the engagementportions.
 6. A lighter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head includesa loop portion integral with said flanges.
 7. A lighter as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said boss means comprises a boss on each flangerotatably received in a bore provided in said wheel.